Team Flash gets a reality check in Flash 2x02
by Phillipe363
Summary: Instead of listening to Iris berate him into letting out Jay Garrick of the pipeline when they know next to nothing about him, Barry gives her a reminder of who is in charge of the team, meaning it is not her and slight wake up calls to the other members of Team Flash. But most of it is directed towards Iris.


**Hey guys**

**An idea I got following a recent conversation with Stand with Ward and Queen gave me the inspiration for this plot bunny. Frankly, I never liked how Iris in Flash 2x02 episode jumped down Barry's throat for not trusting Jay Garrick when Barry was right by how they knew nothing about him.**

**Team Flash for that episode bugged me since Barry was right about how he was the only one not just taking Jay at his word and wanting more hard evidence.**

**Only Iris was the main one to get Barry to go against his better judgment and release Zoom. Which later in the season Barry turned out to be perfectly right by not trusting Jay since he turned out to be Zoom.**

**Given Iris's actions in season 5 with a very similar situation that pretty much makes clear she's a self-centered sociopath for how she treated Barry.**

**Not even going to get into the mess with Barry/Iris's kid and Iris's role in that in Flash season 5 because I don't think I need to.**

**Here's the funny thing the Flash writers want to convince us Eobard is Barry's worst enemy. Only the various times Barry either listens to Iris's bad advice that ends up majorly backfiring, or Iris going around Barry's back which then causes problems? Let's just say Iris gives Eobard a run for his money on Barry's worst enemy spot.**

**Yeah in both instances I agree with Barry despite how the writers want to make him into this bad guy and horrible person over it.**

**Enough of me talking and on with the story**

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The main STAR Labs room

Barry watches as Cisco, Caitlin and Stein all leave the lab following Iris asking them to go.

"I have a feeling you're going to ask me about why I'm not so trusting, what happened to the boy you grew up with or something along those lines?" Barry asks.

"Yes," Iris replies inwardly glad that Barry knew she was going to do that since it shows how perfect they are for each other. After all, they are married in the future and Eddie is… gone.

"Telling them to leave and trying to chew me out over this is not going to change my mind. I already trusted Harrison Wells, I know next to nothing important about this Jay Garrick. Until I do, he stays in the pipeline" Barry says.

"For how long? Years?" Iris asks.

"If I need to then yes. I already got betrayed by Eobard being Wells, I am not putting the people on this team or Central City at stake to let anyone get hurt because of blind trust. Like Oliver has tried to teach me trust but verify, well until I do this Jay Garrick is, if that's even his real name, stays in that pipeline" Barry replies unflinchingly.

"Wow, so you're letting what Wells did turn you into this untrusting jerk, no different than how Felicity told me Oliver acted when she brought him in to save his life and instead, he was an ungrateful jerk. Just like you are to your team for refusing to listen to any of us" Iris says unhappily.

"Oliver was not wrong since luckily for him I turned out to be okay, what Felicity didn't care about is I could have been a serial killer for all she knew, and I just learned who The Arrow was. Felicity was a total idiot and so was Diggle for following along on her stupid plan. I don't care if you think I'm an ungrateful jerk if it means doing what I need to" Barry replies sharply, "And Iris do not use the rest of the team as an excuse because I'm not listening to you."

"Where is all this coming from? Why are you treating me like this?" Iris asks briskly.

"Let's just say these past months going at it by myself as I have has allowed me space to open my eyes and see you're not as perfect as I thought you were. Also, Iris, I do listen to the rest of the team but at the end of the day I am the leader here" Barry says firmly.

"Then why don't you listen to us now? Instead, your letting you're blind hated for Wells turn you into somebody you're not" Iris fires back.

Suddenly getting an idea and being fed up with this conversation speeds off, then within a few minutes Cisco, Caitlin, and Stein are all back in the lab around Iris. Barry is some feet away facing all of them.

"Let's get one thing straight while I do value all your input on this team, I am the leader of it and I'm the one who makes the final call. What I don't get is why all of you are seemingly ignoring what happened to the last person we trusted for Eobard or what it cost us. I'm not sure if it's because of your attraction to Garrick for Caitlin or you Iris, the whole other world thing for Stein or you Cisco. I don't care, it stops now" Barry says firmly.

"Meaning what?" Caitlin asks.

"What are you like kicking us out since we are not listening to you?" Iris asks folding her arms unhappily.

"I could because I do own the building, which I'm able to keep running from a small fortune Thrawne got somehow but hoping I don't have to. Let me make this clear Garrick stays in the pipeline until we can confirm his story and we don't have time for infighting due to needing to stop Sand Demon. If this is too much for any of you to handle then leave now," Barry replies "Your my friends and I want you here to help but at the end of the day I can do this on my own if I have to."

"No, you can't Barry you need us," Iris says like he's being extremely arrogant and stupid.

Rolls eyes with letting out a sigh "Okay I really hate to do this because it sounds like bragging, but fine. I am an expert in chemistry and scientist, have knowledge in engineering with creating Gideon in the future which is a machine so advanced that not even Cisco can figure it out. I was able to be the Flash for these past six months without having help" Barry says "Meaning Iris no I don't need a team, just like Oliver can do his mission alone if need be contrary to what Felicity or you think."

Iris actually shuts up at hearing that with for the other three this entire conversation has been a reality check as they are wondering where exactly their heads have been at.

"I'm going to go take a run for a few minutes to calm down and when I get back whoever is still here, I know you're in for good. If not, you better be on your way out by the time I return" Barry says.

Iris, Caitlin, Cisco, and Stein watch as there's a crackle of yellow lighting than just air where the Barry was from having sped out.

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**Hope you all enjoyed this and let me know what you think in a review if you want.**

**On Barry talking about how he can be the Flash without a team if needed is my referencing the comics or other mediums where Barry has no team. Also, Barry is this smart guy who can handle a lot by himself, even built his own suit in the comics and such.**

**So, no need to dumb him down to justify the other team members or well to be more precise Iris.**

**Frankly, by Flash season 6 the Flash team has gotten way, way too big with all its members. The show needs to cut the fat by going back to the original Barry, Cisco, and Caitlin for doing away with the over-bloated team.**

**Since there's Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, Ralph, Iris, and Joe with I'm sure I've forgotten a few others here or there.**

**Like you don't have this type of crap over on Daredevil for how they get so big on the teams or propping certain characters up they make their main lead a dummy to make it work. Those writers know the show is Daredevil, not Daredevil and all his friends.**

**Unlike how across the Arrowverse every hero show has to be a hero and all their friend's show. The only one where that makes any sense is Legends of Tomorrow due to the nature of the show.**

**Also, I wanted to acknowledge in the show how Barry is the one who one day will build Gideon a system that Cisco can't even figure out. Given they have clearly forgotten about it.**

**But the Iris/WestAllen obsessed writers have Iris telling Barry how to beat bad guys, yeah total garbage.**

**Yes, Zoom's goons would have probably shown up on earth 1 to help free him if Barry had left him in the pipeline but at least that would be to do something other than Barry being an idiot listening to Iris.**

**Until next time**


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